Suction cleaner and rotary agitator therefor



July 19, 1949. c. E. ERICKSON SUCTION CLEANER AND ROTARY AG'ITATOR THEREFOR Filed Dec. 17, 1943 Patented July 19, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE. I fairest"? v v sUo'rroNoLnnNEn annho'ranr AGITATOR, THEREFOR Y can a; "ran es, immerse Mien. npplica'tion necemter 1'1, 1943, Serial No. 514,592 i claim. (out- 3st) This invention relates to improvements in suction cleaner and rotary agitator therefor.

The main objects of this invention are First, to provide a cleaner, sweep i or like apparatus which is highly efficient in cleaning rugs, carpets and other fabrics and at the same time is miid in its action on the surface cleaned in that it does not injure the fabricor the pile.

Second, tovprovide a carpet or-ru g cleaning machine of the vacuum type which effectively opens the pile and loosens the dirt andfo'reign material therein to be picked up by theair current.

Third, to provide a rotatable driven brushing and wiping member which has a combined rotating and lateral movement or engagement with the surface cleaned as the machine is translated over the surface. r

Objects pertaining to details and economies of the invention will definitely appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined in the claim.

A structure embodying the features of the invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an inverted view of a suction cleaner embodying the features of my invention, portions of the machine being broken away.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view partially in longitudinal section on a line corresponding to line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing details of the brushing and wiping member.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view corresponding to that of Fig. 2 illustrating the relation of the brushing elements to a rug surface, the elements being shown subjected to centrifugal action resulting from the rotation of the brushing and wiping member.

Fig. 4 is a side view of one of the disks or flexible brush elements of the circular type.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a desirable form of element, the same being somewhat oblate.

Fig. 6 is an end view of a modified form or embodiment of the invention in which the peripheries of the brush elements are partially cut away,

providing segmental tongues.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view partially in section on line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

In the accompanying drawing I have embodied my invention in a suction cleaner comprising a casing designated generally by the numeral I having a suction chamber 2 therein with a downwardly facing opening. Carrying wheels 3 and 3| are provided. The combined brushing and wiping element 4 is arranged within the casing to CIA . tion, but owing to their motor for dri engage the surface to be cleaned through the dewnwardlyiacing opening of the casing. I

This member 4 comprises a shaft 5 haviii'g' a central-pulley 6 receiving the driving belt Lthe v mgth ra anaihe brush member not being illustrated. The rxi'enib'ei 4, also coinprises a shaft 8 on when is arranged in alternating relation 9. plurality of disks 9. suitably or chamois skin, and clamping members 10. rhese clamping members have faces ll disposed at a substantial angle to the eripenaieuur as s clear- 1y shown in Figs. .2 and 3 so that the disks 9 are supported at a swee en angle toth'e perpendicular. Zi'subs'tantial portion of the disks are free. it will be noted that t e disks are spaced and inclined to the perpendicular so that there is a substantial'overlapp rig in radial pian'esperpehdieuiar to the shaft. The result is that the brush is rotated and translated across the surface to be cleaned the brush engages that surface not only with a rotary motion but also with a lateral movement axially of the shaft. I have illustrated this in Fig. 3 in which l2 designates a rug and I3 the nap thereof.

The tendency of the centrifugal action is to cause the flexible elements to take a radial posidiagonal relation to the axis this does not prevent their lateral wiping or brushing action as they rotate. During each complete rotation of the disks, the same first wipes the nap of a rug in one direction and then in the opposite direction to thoroughly open the nap for the cleansing action of the vacuum of the sweeper. The disks being of relatively soft and readily flexible material, and the carrying wheels 3 of the sweeper translatingly supporting the same independently of the disks, permits said disks to readily flex in opposite directions during said wiping movements in opposite directions to facilitate increased wiping action of the disks on the nap of the rug and to eliminate or reduce a shearinglike action on the nap adjacent the base thereof.

While I have found chamois skin to be highly satisfactory, other flexible fibrous material such as suitable tough felt may be used with satisfactory results.

In Fig. 6 I illustrate the elements 9 as somewhat oblate which compensates for the inclined position, bringing their peripheries into a substantially circular relation to the axis.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I illustrate a modified form or embodiment of myinventioninwhich the elements 14 have segmental portions of their peripheries cut away as shown at [5, providing a plurality of tongue-like portions I 6. In the preferred embodimy invention as may be desired. While I have shown the invention as embodied in a suction" 4 and angular relation to the shaft that adjacent wiping elements overlap in all angular relations thereof during the rotation thereof and independently engage the surface to be cleaned as the shaft is rotated and translated across the surface with an axial wiping movement first in one direction and then in the opposite direction with each complete rotation thereof, said wiping elemerits adapted to readily flex in opposite directions laterally thereof, and wheels for said casing adapted to translatingly support the same independently of said wiping elements to permit said cleaner, it is highly satisfactorygforluse in car-' pet sweepers and other surface cleaning-devices Having thus described my invention What I Patentis: p

The combination with a vacuum cleaner including a casing adapted to be translated over the surface of, a rug to be cleaned and having a vacuum chamber therein with *a] downwardly facing opening, of arotatablygdriven brushing and wiping member mounted in-said casing to contact thesurface cleaned through said opening'and comprising a shaft, a pluralityof thin fiat wiping elements, and Spacing and clamping elements therefor arranged on the shaft in men nating relation therewith and having clamping faces disposed. obliquely to said shaft, the relative diameters of the wiping elements and clamping elements being such that substantial portions of the peripheraledges of'the wiping elements are free, the wiping elements lying in planes oblique to the shaft and being supported by said clamping elements in such spaced relation that their free edges are supported in none contacting relation and being of such diameter .15 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters .wiping elements to readily flex in opposite directions during said wiping movements in opposite directions, to facilitate increased Wiping action of the wiping elements on the nap of a rug and to reduce a shearing-like action on the nap adjacent the base thereof.

CARL E. ERICKSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are-of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED'STATES PATENTS 195,381 Germany 1929 

